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Mitchell man gets jail for stabbing

A Mitchell man will serve county jail time for stabbing two people but has avoided state prison.

Charles Medicine Horn, 22, was arrested in August and pleaded no contest to aggravated assault in October.

Judge Tim Bjorkman agreed to a suspended prison term Wednesday, but only after hearing from the defense, the prosecution and Medicine Horn’s grandmother, Colleen Medicine Horn, on Tuesday.

“My sentence was a prison sentence that I had prepared at the time of your original sentencing,” Bjorkman said. “I am taken aback by the seriousness of the events.”

Medicine Horn blacked out the night of the stabbings from drinking too much alcohol, according to court documents.

Bjorkman said he factored in all the testimony, including the presentence investigation. He suspended a 10-year prison sentence and instead sentenced Medicine Horn to 180 days in jail, but gave him credit for 112 days served. He will immediately report to Stepping Stones, an addiction treatment facility in Mitchell, where he will serve the rest of his jail term. Bjorkman ordered Medicine Horn will remain in the program until he completes it and court services releases him.

He was also ordered to pay $104 in court costs, serve five years on probation and repay court appointed attorney fees, including a bill from Aurora County for $853.94, which was part of the plea agreement. He must enroll in the 24/7 Sobriety program and remain on it through January 2017. He cannot have or be around alcohol or drugs, or participate in gambling. He must get and maintain a full-time job, do his best to get a GED, attend Alcoholics Anonymous or a similar program, and seek medical treatment for his diagnosed conditions of attention deficit hyperactive disorder and Asperger syndrome. He is also required to have no contact with the victims, who have not filed for restitution, the judge noted.

Violation of the terms of the sentence could result in the prison time being imposed.